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April 9, 2008
Higher Expectations
So before we get started on the events of the day let it be known that in about 1 hour I am going to leave my house to drive to the bike store to take my bike for it's check up and to get a little love (that I don't often give it). WHEN I leave the house this will be my attire. SHORTS. SANDELS. (and some assortment of long sleeve/sweatshirts up top). Did anyone hear that? SANDELS? SANDELS? Hello people! (and guaranteed my feet will be cold but I'm willing to take the risk :)
This weather is the BEST weather EV-A!
Anyway, today I have off work. This is a good thing. But still, last night I committed to going to bed early enough so that I could still get up at my usual 4:45 am so that I could do my track workout with O. Unfortunately O has to work (sorry sap - but I guess someone around here needs to!) and so we needed to leave for the warmup by 5:15.
I like to sleep in a little on my days off but I also like to have O as a partner on the track because, well, he's a stronger, faster runner than me. I'm not willing to conceed that he's better at longer distance races (10 miles and up - my marathon PR is still faster :) but over shorter distances and ESPECIALLY anything involving the track, he can put a hurting on me.
So up and off to the track we were. The other thing I dislike about doing track work so early is that you can't see your watch to look at your splits (doesn't get light until 6:15 or so right now). But luckily O (ever the equipment manager) takes care of that by reading off the splits with the light on his watch. This in addition to the fact that he does the actual workout with me and pulls me along to faster times makes him the ideal training partner. And no, you can't have him. He is mine!
This morning's workout was 800s, a 1600 and some random 200s tacked on at the end just to make sure you really did throw up. My goals were 2:50s for the 800s and 5:50 for the 1600 which we pretty much hit spot on. 5:50 exactly and 2:47-2:49 for the 8s. I was pleased as punch. Two or three weeks ago I had trouble handling that pace. I'm getting there. O got a little frisky on the 200s and tried to bust me on the last one. I tried my darndest to run him down but no dice. He's got some "quicks" as the saying goes. :)
So home it was where I put some breakfast in the belly. Next up was the pool where I had scheduled my long swim that I didn't do on Monday (on account of the bug that attacked my system). It was 4000 yds total which isn't too bad BUT - 600 repeats of all things. I was getting a little cranky on the drive over thinking of all the excuses of why I shouldn't be able to swim as fast as I wanted today. I had just done the track workout a few hours before, I was just coming off being sick, I'm a big, big baby...oh wait, that wasn't one!
At which point I had to scold myself. Because seriously - GET OVER IT! Triathon is a sport of 3 sports which means lots of workouts where you are tired and not fresh and that's just the way it is. I had to remind myself to get out of my own way. To stop limiting what I think I can and cannot do. This is my weakness for sure. I have found myself questioning my "limits" over and over again this year and it has done wonders for me. Why can't I run 5:40 pace? Why can't I swim 1:20 pace? Why can't I keep my cadence above 90 in this gear? Why can't I break 19 minutes in this 5K? Why? Why? Why? Because when I started asking "why" I realized that I didn't really have many good answers. You have to be realistic for sure, but I also had to stop thinking that 6 min pace on the track was my limit, or that I couldn't swim any faster than 1:25 pace in the pool. Time to aim a little higher you know?
So this was my thought process on the 3.5 minute drive over to the YMCA. :) I told myself to expect more of myself. And chances are, more is what I would get.
And I had a great swim. Really, really great swim. Sure I was tired but I swam hard and produced great results.
I know it doesn't always happen like that. You expect more and give it your all and you end up with less instead. I've been in sport long enough to undestand that. But that's where the mental strength and internal motivation to keep at it comes in. I'm not saying it's easy. And in fact I fail often. But that's what makes it fun right? You gotta just keep coming back for more!
Here's to higher expectations!
Posted by beth at April 9, 2008 11:35 AM
Comments
Great post today. Beth you are an animal! Your weakness (in your mind) will become your strength! Your almost there; your season opener, and what an opener it is. Wow. St Anthonies.
Posted by: at April 9, 2008 2:19 PM
Yes, I guess I have to keep remembering someday I'll be back for more...great reminder, especially now per my lovely boot.
Thx Beth.
Nice workout today.
Posted by: Audrey at April 9, 2008 3:15 PM
This almost makes me a little teary-eyed b/c it reminds me of my little brother (age 17) who is convinced i have another 5K PR in me even though I think the opposite. He's so sweet. Maybe you're both right. It never hurts to dream.
Posted by: Audrey at April 9, 2008 3:23 PM
Beth:
I am glad that you had two great workouts in one day--and a day that you didn't have to work! I wish I could find a sport that Andrew and I were the same speed at. I know that if it weren't for his compartment syndrome/nerve issues, he would love to run at the track with you and Oscar!
Hope tomorrow is great, too.
-Danielle
Posted by: Danielle at April 9, 2008 5:25 PM
Super, super post Beth!
I am with you...until the day I decided to kick my own butt (your way of saying expect more out of me) I was feeling the same curiosity about breaking my paces.
I am so happy for you! GREAT run and GREAT attitude. Good luck staying on it, make it hurt, make it count, be brave
Oh, the cd you sent me is STILL in the player. I have yet to take it out and listen to anything else! It reminds me to pray for you both too!
Posted by: Bree at April 10, 2008 3:17 PM